High School Student Educates on Ukraine Through Free Shoebox Libraries

A high school student is educating customers of local business on the culture and history of Ukraine through his nonprofit Free Ukraine Library.

To create the libraries, Shaye Kirman, who summers in Westhampton, repurposes unused shoe boxes, which he decorates with his logo in the blue and yellow colors of Ukraine’s flag. Each box, or “library branch,” contains five books about Ukraine’s unique identity — cultural, literary and historical. Each box houses a different collection of books, and in addition to the more typical fare of novels and history books, some libraries include photo books, children’s books, cookbooks and even Ukrainian language books. Patrons can take a book for free and either return it or pass it along to a friend.

Kirman said his concept was developed shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

“When the war broke out, many people rushed to help Ukraine with clothes, food and money. I wanted to do something different, so I turned to the tool I knew best as a student — books,” he said. “I wanted to learn more about Ukraine as an independent country and to share that knowledge with others.”

History and politics offerings range from Serhy Yekelchyk’s “Ukraine: What Everyone Needs To Know” to Anne Applebaum’s “Red Famine: Stalin’s War on Ukraine.” Fiction books include “A Museum of Abandoned Secrets” by Oksana Zabuzhko and “Mesopotamia” by Serhiy Zhadan, while cultural material includes “Ukrainian Alphabet Workbook for Beginners” by Aleksandr Koval and “The New Ukrainian Cookbook” by Annette Ogrodnik Corona.

Each box of books costs anywhere between $75 to $100, and the rising senior at Trinity School in Manhattan is actively fundraising through his website — freeukrainelibrary.org — to purchase more material. Kirman also welcomes anyone to add their own books. This month, he is planning a book drive to increase his inventory, and also welcomes any business owner looking to become a partner.

To date, Free Ukraine Library has set up 20 collections across Long Island, New York City, Westchester and Connecticut. In August, Kirman expanded local presence with five new branches — two in Riverhead, at Sarikopa Organic Coffee & Tea House and Mugs on Main; two in Patchogue, at Coho Coffee House and Southdown Coffee; and one in Mattituck at Love Lane Kitchen.

“We are excited to host a Free Ukraine Library in our shop and wholeheartedly support Shaye’s important mission to educate Americans about the country of Ukraine,” said Elisa Ferrebee, manager of Love Lane Kitchen.

Kirman’s library has been embraced by business owners, who view the initiative as a win-win for providing a benefit to customers while encouraging them to return to the store.

“We are so grateful there are people on Long Island helping to educate on this vital topic,” said Chris Larson, manager of Southdown Coffee in Patchogue. “Free and accessible information is a resource we cannot live without.”

This initiative has a special meaning for Kirman, whose mother and father, Galina and Igor, were born in Russian-speaking areas of Soviet Ukraine and immigrated to the United States as 8-year-old Jewish refugees in the late 1970s. His parents grew up speaking Russian and knew little of Ukrainian culture as children. While Kirman said most Americans think of Ukraine as “one of the republics” and not as an independent country with a distinct history and culture, and knows today, it’s seen mostly as a war zone, he’s hoping to change that.

“I wanted to learn more about this part of my heritage and the country where my parents were born, so I set out to do this through reading,” Kirman said. “What I found was fascinating, so I wanted to share this knowledge with others in settings like coffee shops and other local businesses that foster community. I especially want to focus on small towns that have strong communities, so the books can circulate widely.”